Chapters in books

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Open Access
365 days of openness: The emergence of OER at the University of Cape Town
(Athabasca University Press, 2013) Hodgkinson-Williams, Cheryl; Paskevicius, Michael; Cox, Glenda; Shaikh, Shihaam; Czerniewicz, Laura; Lee-Pan, Samantha; McGreal, R; Kinuthia, W; Marshall, S; McNamara, T
Historically, resources such as books, journals, newspapers, audio and video recordings have been fairly well curated in university libraries. However, the same cannot be said for teaching and learning materials, unless they have been included in a textbook or study guide. With the growth in digital media, libraries have been extending their curation of scholarly resources to include electronic journals, digital books and reference guides, broadening access to these beyond the physical walls of the library. While the growth in digital technology has prompted academics to create their own customised and contextually specific digital media for use in their teaching in the form of PowerPoint presentations, manuals, handbooks, guides, media resources and websites, these resources are most often stored on personal hard drives, on departmental servers or within password-protected institutional learning management systems. Access to these digital materials is usually limited to registered students undertaking specific courses within specific institutions and usually only disseminated by individual academics or departments.
Open Access
Access to learning resources in Post-apartheid South Africa
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology & International Development Research Centre, 2018-05-01) Gray, Eve; Czerniewicz, Laura; Joe Karaganis
Any inquiry into how university students get the learning resources they need for their education in post-apartheid South Africa must deal with three interrelated subjects: the legacy of apartheid, which continues to structure educational opportunities in important ways more than twenty years after the first democratic election; the organization and increasingly radical transformation of the commercial publishing market, which has been the primary source of textbooks and other materials in the system; and— common to all of the chapters in this book—the mix of new-technology-enabled strategies through which students do their best to get the textbooks and other materials they need. We track three decades of tensions around these issues, as post-apartheid leaders struggle to reform an educational system originally designed primarily to control and oppress rather than educate the majority population. Because the old system had grown up around numerous (and often colonially grounded) accommodations of the global publishing business, international copyright law, and—most important—a structural disregard for whether the system worked in more than a minimal sense, the pressure for reform has produced tensions on all of these fronts.
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Activist networks and political protest in the Free State, 1983-1990
(SADET and UNISA Press, 2010) Twala, Chitja; Seekings, Jeremy
Chapter 14, Jeremy Seekings collaborates with Chitja Twala to examine activist networks and political protest in the Free State. The authors explain that although no regional UDF structure was ever formally launched in the area there were protests in the townships of Tumahole, Thabong (Welkom) and Mangaung (Bloemfontein); these later spread as far afield as Bethlehem and Harrismith.
Open Access
Adoption and Impact of OER in the Global South: Chapter summaries
(African Minds, International Development Research Centre & Research on Open Educational Resources for Development, 2018-02-28) Hodgkinson-Williams, Cheryl
Education in the Global South faces several key interrelated challenges for which Open Educational Resources (OER) are seen to be part of the solution and against which use of OER might be evaluated. These challenges include: unequal access to education; variable quality of educational resources, teaching and student performance; and increasing cost and concern about the sustainability of education. The Research on Open Educational Resources for Development (ROER4D) project was a four-year research initiative to investigate in what ways and under what circumstances the adoption of OER could address the increasing demand for accessible, relevant, high quality and affordable education in the Global South. The project was comprised of 18 sub-projects, the findings from which are captured as chapters in the edited volume, Adoption and Impact of OER in the Global South. The summaries presented here provide an overview of chapters’ study contexts, methodological approaches, key findings and recommendations, as well as links to accompanying open datasets. Of the total 16 chapters, 12 are based on sub-project findings and four are synthesis and overview chapters. The chapters are organised into five main sections: Overview, South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Conclusion. Within these broader sections, chapters are presented in sequence according to whether the research addresses basic or higher education.
Open Access
Assessing Racial Redress in the Public Service
(HSRC Press, 2008) Naidoo, Vinothan
Efforts to make South Africa’s public service more representative were propelled by the introduction of a non-racial democracy in 1994. The racial profile of South Africa’s public service was integral to sustaining the policy of apartheid, which was designed to promote a segregated and unequal system of social, economic and political relations between legally defined race groups. Van den Berghe (cited in Marger 1994: 402) interestingly referred to apartheid South Africa as a Herrenvolk democracy, defined paradoxically as a ‘state that provides most democratic features of political rule to whites while ruling blacks dictatorially’. More specifically, the creation of geographically separate and administratively distinct homeland territories to house South Africa’s black African population represented the pinnacle of a race-based system of public administration designed to strategically regulate the representation of the country’s black population in the public service relative to its white population.
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Biofuel policies in South Africa: a critical analysis
(Springer, 2012) Letete, Thapelo; von Blottnitz, Harro
In 2007 the South African government released the country’s National Biofuels Industrial Strategy targeting a biofuels market penetration of 2% of liquid road transport fuels by 2013. Contrary to the international situation, the main driver for the development of a biofuels industry in South Africa is neither the economic threat of increasing oil prices nor mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, but the need to create a link between the country’s first and second economies. Specifically, the government hopes to stimulate economic development and to alleviate poverty through the promotion of farming in areas previously neglected by the apartheid system. Before the release of this strategy, commercial sugar producers and maize farmers represented the majority of the parties looking to drive the South African biofuels industry. But, two years after its release none of the ventures by these stakeholders have been able to take off, mainly due to the Strategy’s restrictions on the type and source of feedstock as well as on the type of farmers whose participation in the industry would be subsidised. This chapter presents a critical scientific-based analysis of the implications and results of South Africa’s National Biofuels Industrial Strategy. Firstly an update is presented on the state of the biofuels industry in the country, highlighting the current production statistics and the major investment activities, and how these were affected by the release of the Strategy. Then the ambiguities in the Strategy are outlined and critically analysed with reference to the current state of the biofuels industry in the country. The chapter then concludes with the lessons to be learnt from the South African experience by those African countries which are yet to develop their respective biofuel policies.
Open Access
Black Consciousness in contemporary South African politics
(HSRC Press, 2009) Reddy, Thiven; Kagwanja, Peter; Kondlo, Kwandiwe
An ironic feature of contemporary South African politics is that while the organisations representing Black Consciousness (BC) ideas remain weak and fragmented, a revival in BC ideas, values and practices in official and civil society discourses seems evident. BC organisations dominated anti-apartheid politics in the 1970s, but their startling decline, particularly their weakened state under post-1994 democracy, calls out for analytical attention. In the 1999 and 2004 elections, the Azanian People’s Organisation (Azapo) was the leading BC organisation. Together with the smaller Socialist Party of Azania (Sopa), Azapo received dismal support. Moreover, Azapo has split into three smaller organisations. Efforts to merge the three have so far faltered. One cannot conclude, however, that the obvious failure of BC political parties to challenge the ANC and the historically white political parties at the polls means that we should dismiss these organisations’ ideologies as ineffective and lacking in influence. The resurgence of BC ideas at the level of civil society, at a time when we might expect BC to be anachronistic, is intriguing. It is also the subject of this chapter.
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Clothing and textiles
(HSRC Press, 2009) Morris, Mike; Reed, Lyn
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Comparing AIDS governance: a research agenda on responses to the AIDS epidemic
(Ashgate, 2007) Strand, Per; Poku, Nana K; Whiteside, Alan; Sandkjaer, Bjorg
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Controlling power - Africans' views on governance, citizenship and accountability
(IDASA, 2010) Mattes, Robert
Social Accountability in Africa: Practitioners' Experiences and Lessons is a collection of case studies from Africa on social accountability. This collection attempts to build aconsolidated body of knowledge on social accountability efforts across the continent. The case studies are diverse and present unique approaches to how social accountability strategies and interventions are implemented within different countries. The book is written by practitioners, for practitioners, providing first hand experience of designing and implementing social accountability initiatives and the challenges, methods and successes each one presents. While most research focuses on the role of citizens and civil society organisations inpromoting accountability, this book places a greater emphasis on joint state-civil societyinitiatives. While social accountability initiatives are known mostly only in their own countries, and few African campaigns are documented, this book fills this gap by covering different approaches within a wide array of African countries. To overcome language and cultural barriers that have prevented practitioners in the African sub-regions from learning from each other, this book will be translated into French and disseminated widely in Francophone Africa.
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Count us in:the need for more comprehensive global data on HIV/AIDS prevention,testing and knowledge among LGBT populations
(Praeger, 2013) Oberth, O; Tucker, P; Smit, R A
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Count us in:the need for more comprehensive global data on HIV/AIDS prevention,testing and knowledge among LGBT populations
(Praeger, 2013) Oberth, O; Tucker, P; Smit, R A
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Critical content and communication capabilities: foundational for African education in a digitally-mediated age
(eLearning Africa, 2012-06-03) Czerniewicz, Laura
This chapter forms part of the key findings of The eLearning Africa 2012 Survey, completed by 447 respondents. A detailed analysis of the Survey findings is provided in this, The eLearning Africa 2012 Report, which is the first of its kind, bringing together the views of eLearning professionals and a range of other stakeholders from across 41 African countries.
Open Access
Cultural-historical factors influencing OER adoption in Mongolia’s higher education sector
(African Minds, International Development Research Centre & Research on Open Educational Resources for Development, 2017-09-12) Batbold, Zagrdagchaa; Trotter, Henry; Cheryl Hodgkinson-Williams; Patricia Arinto
The research presented here investigates the strategies and practices of educators from six public and private higher education institutions (HEIs) in Mongolia in order to understand the role of Open Educational Resources (OER) in their work. It addresses the question: Which cultural–historical factors shape OER activities in Mongolia’s higher education sector? In addition, the study sets out to determine whether OER has the potential to move beyond a niche innovation advocated and funded by international donors to one that is broadly adopted, implemented and disseminated by local educators. The study employed a sequential exploratory model in which qualitative interviews comprised the first stage of data collection, followed by quantitative surveys. The interviews were conducted with 14 participants recruited using a convenience sample from four Mongolian HEIs, two government organisations and three non-governmental organisations. In total, eight educators and six administrators were interviewed. A follow-up survey was conducted with 42 instructors and administrators at six HEIs, also recruited through convenience sampling. The study utilised Cultural Historical Activity Theory as a framework to analyse the data. Findings indicate that despite recent efforts to promote OER by funding agencies and the government, OER awareness remains modest amongst higher education instructors and administrators. It is therefore not surprising that OER adoption rates in Mongolia are low. As a result, a culture around OER engagement has not yet emerged, with only isolated individual educators adopting OER. In contrast with many academics who often worry about the quality of OER, Mongolian educators appear to be more concerned about a particular sub-component of quality, which is relevance. In addition, many study participants expressed reservations about the potential value and utility of OER.
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A Developmental Social Work Practice Framework for Promoting Healthy Human Relationships for and Amongst Youth in South Africa
(Springer, 2021-01-02) Gxubane, Thulane; Noyoo, Ndangwa
Young people are exposed to various sources of vulnerabilities due to their stage of human development and their socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. They are often confronted with enormous social and peer pressures, as well as challenges of having to live up to the expectations of their families, community and society in general. These pressures and expectations usually result in intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts. The former usually leads to intense anger, anxiety and sometimes depression which manifest in unhealthy relationships with the self. The latter usually contributes to destructive human relationships and interpersonal violence. Dysfunctional human relationships have a major negative impact on young people’s social functioning. Healthy human relationships are essential in establishing good social support systems, which could enhance young people’s sense of belonging and social functioning. A developmental practice paradigm requires social workers to promote the prevention of destructive human relationships, and to intervene as early as possible in ameliorating emerging troublesome human relationships. This chapter focuses on a developmental social work practice framework for promoting healthy human relationships for and amongst youth in South Africa. It proposes a developmental and restorative practice framework, which could promote resilience and healthy human relationships for and among youth.
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Economic growth and transformation in the 1940s
(Juta Double Storey, 2005) Nattrass, Nicoli
Open Access
Effects of the South African IP Regime on Generating Value from Publicly Funded Research: An Exploratory Study of Two Universities
(Juta, 2014) Ncube, Caroline; Abrahams, Lucienne; Akinsanmi, Titiyo; De Beer, J; Armstrong, C; Oguamanam, C; Schonwetter, T
This study analyses evidence from two South African universities of how innovation activity and research dissemination are being influenced by a new intellectual property (IP) commercialisation law for publicly funded research outputs. The study sought to understand the ways in which the Intellectual Property Rights from Publicly Financed Research and Development (IPR-PFRD) Act of 2008 and its Regulations influence the generation of value from research. The study was positioned within a theoretical frame which holds that maximalist approaches to IP protection tend to be sub-optimal for certain long-term socio-economic objectives inherent in research funding. The research found evidence of adaptation by both of the universities studied (UCT and Wits University) to the requirements of the Act, and evidence that the Act can have a positive influence on South Africa’s innovation nexus provided that the Act’s patenting orientation continues to be complemented by openness-oriented research dissemination and collaboration practices, including open access (OA) scholarly publishing.
Open Access
Employment and labour market trends
(HSRC Press, 2003) McCord, Anna; Bhorat, Haroon
Open Access
Enabling Capabilities in an Engineering Extended Curriculum Programme
(Bloomsbury Press, 2017-09) Craig, Tracy S; Bangeni, Bongi; Kapp, Rochelle
Open Access
Factors influencing Open Educational Practices and OER in the Global South: Meta-synthesis of the ROER4D project
(African Minds, International Development Research Centre & Research on Open Educational Resources for Development, 2017-12) Hodgkinson-Williams, Cheryl; Arinto, Patricia; Cartmill, Tess; King, Thomas
This chapter provides a meta-synthesis of the findings from the Research on Open Educational Resources for Development (ROER4D) empirical studies based on the 13 sub-project chapters in this volume as well as other sub-project research reports. It does so by analysing how three phases of Open Educational Resources (OER) adoption – OER creation, use and adaptation – are observed in the studies as forms of Open Educational Practices (OEP), identifying where there are most likely to be disjunctures that inhibit optimal OER adoption processes and their longer-term sustainability. It compares the open practices reported in the ROER4D sub-project studies to an idealised or maximal set of open processes, modelled as the Open Education cycle framework. It draws upon social realist theory to uncover agential decision-making about OER creation, use and adaptation in relation to structural and cultural environments, and seeks to answer the ROER4D project’s overarching research question: Whether, how, for whom and under what circumstances can engagement with OEP and OER provide equitable access to relevant, high-quality, affordable and sustainable education in the Global South? This chapter interrogates findings from the ROER4D empirical studies using a metasynthesis approach. Following a review of sub-project research reports (including, in some cases, primary micro data), the authors used a literature-informed set of themes to create the meta-level conceptual framework for claims about OER and OEP in relation to access, quality and affordability; the Open Education cycle; and structural, cultural and agential influences on the potential impact on access, quality and affordability. Nvivo software was used to help reveal literature-informed and emergent themes in the studies, identifying the most frequently occurring themes to provide a more comprehensive and classified interpretation of the findings across the empirical studies. Insights and recommendations were then distilled according to Archer’s (2003; 2014) social realist theoretical framework which assesses social change – and its counterpart, stasis – according to dynamically interactive and structural, cultural and agential factors. The authors used these three factors to guide their analysis of the ROER4D findings, as understood in relation to the three broad phases of OER adoption (creation, use and adaptation) proposed in the Open Education cycle. Findings show that in the Global South contexts studied, the ideal or maximal Open Education cycle is incomplete in terms of optimising the benefits of OER adoption. There are five key points of disjuncture: (1) the dependence on copying of existing OER and the corollary failure to localise; (2) the adaptation of OER, but with inconsistent curation and rehosting of derivative works on publicly available platforms or in repositories, limiting access to the derivative OER; (3) limited circulation of derivative OER due, in part, to the absence of a communication strategy; (4) inconsistent quality assurance processes; and (5) a weak feedback loop for continuous improvement of the original or derivative work. The chapter concludes with a critical exploration of the range of influences of OER and associated practices on access to educational materials, the quality of educational resources, educators’ pedagogical perspectives and practices, and student performance as well as the overall affordability and sustainability of education in the Global South. It argues that full participation in the OER movement in the Global South requires that certain structural factors be put in place – including a minimum level of infrastructural support, legal permission to share materials and OER curation platforms – to curate curriculum-aligned OER in local languages. However, these structural adjustments alone are insufficient for the full value proposition of OER to be realised. While individual educators and some institutions are sharing OER, this willingness needs to be bolstered by a much stronger cultural change where communities of educators and students are given technical and pedagogical support to enable OER uptake – especially the creation and adaptation of OER produced in the Global South.